Assessing the effect of anthocyanins through diet and supplementation on cognitive function in older adults at risk for dementia: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether anthocyanin consumption, through diet or supplementation, could prevent memory loss progression and improve inflammatory and cardiovascular health in older adults at risk for dementia.
Results Summary
The study is ongoing, so no results are available yet. The abstract outlines the methodology and planned outcomes but does not report findings.
Population
Adults aged 60-85 years with amnestic mild cognitive impairment or self-reported memory concerns and a score ≤13 on the Memory Index Score within the Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment.
Effective Dosage
250 mg anthocyanins/day (either through a high anthocyanin diet or blackcurrant-derived supplement).
Duration
6 months
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
anthocyanin consumption, either through diet or supplementation | decrease | memory loss progression, inflammatory and cardiovascular health | older adults at risk for dementia | - | prevent memory loss progression and improve | #1 |
High anthocyanin ('purple foods') diet | neutral | anthocyanins/day | participants | 250 mg | target | #2 |
freeze-dried product derived from blackcurrants | neutral | anthocyanins/day | participants | 250 mg | target | #3 |
anthocyanin consumption | neutral | auditory anterograde memory functioning | participants | - | assessed | #4 |
anthocyanin consumption | neutral | additional cognitive functions including processing speed, working memory, aspects of executive functioning (attentional shifting and word generativity) and premorbid estimate | participants | - | evaluated | #5 |
anthocyanin consumption | neutral | subjective memory problems and self-reported depression symptoms | participants | - | evaluated | #6 |
anthocyanin consumption | neutral | blood pressure, inflammatory biomarkers, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, fatty acid profile, apolipoprotein E and polyphenol metabolites, gut microbiota composition and function and vascular and microvascular endothelial function tests | participants | - | evaluated | #7 |
INTRODUCTION: Promising evidence is emerging for the procognitive, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of dietary flavonoids, particularly anthocyanins that provide red, purple and blue plant pigments. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The 'Food for Thought' study is a multicentre, 6-month randomised, parallel 3-arm clinical trial. Its primary aim is to investigate whether anthocyanin consumption, either through diet or supplementation, can prevent memory loss progression and improve inflammatory and cardiovascular health in older adults at risk for dementia. Eligible participants will include those aged 60-85 years with a diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment or with a self-referral of memory concerns and scoring ≤13 on the Memory Index Score within the Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment screening test. Participants will be randomised to one of three arms: High anthocyanin ('purple foods') diet (aiming for a target of 250 mg anthocyanins/day); freeze-dried product derived from blackcurrants (250 mg anthocyanins/day); or control (coloured maltose powder). The primary outcome is auditory anterograde memory functioning assessed by the Buschke and Grober Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test-Immediate Recall. Secondary outcomes are additional cognitive functions including processing speed, working memory, aspects of executive functioning (attentional shifting and word generativity) and premorbid estimate as well as subjective memory problems and self-reported depression symptoms. Additional secondary outcomes are blood pressure, inflammatory biomarkers, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, fatty acid profile, apolipoprotein E and polyphenol metabolites, gut microbiota composition and function and vascular and microvascular endothelial function tests. Repeated measures analysis of variance and/or mixed linear modelling will evaluate changes over time, with the inclusion of covariates. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been obtained from the Greater Western Human Research Ethics Committee (2021/ETH12083). A Consumer Advisory Group was established to guide and review the protocol and dissemination strategy. The results of this trial are intended to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL SPONSOR: National Health and Medical Research Centre Dementia Collaborative Research Centre.Start date of clinical trial: 02 September 2022.Expected end date: 11 October 2024. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12622000065796.